Everybody Must Get Stoned

Florida Stone Crabs

Come on now, I didn’t mean it like that. It’s about crabs. Stone Crabs. Have you ever seen a platter of crabs so beautiful? Florida Stone Crabs are one of my favorite foods. If you missed out on the opportunity to indulge in the pleasure of this treat this season, it’s time to check your calendar and make plans to head to Florida sometime between October 15 and May 16 to get your fill.

I just spend a few days at my parent’s house in Southern Florida and was thrilled to realize that once again, I made it down for a visit just in time to indulge in these delectable crab claws. I made it by 1 day.

The authorities that regulate the harvesting of these crustaceans aren’t fooling around. To help protect and sustain this resource, the sale of Stone Crab claws can only be done if the claws have been placed into inventory prior to May 16th. They’re not joking around, and that’s not a bad thing, because regulating the sale of these crab claws helps to ensure we’ll have this deliciousness around for a long time. So, once the season is over, that’s it. You may see them for sale, but frozen crabs are not worth eating and the price, about the same as a prime aged steak, is not worth the expense. They need to be eaten fresh from the sea.

Stone Crabs lose their claws easily as a way to protect themselves from predators. The limbs grow back and this is why we eat Stone Crab claws. The claws come already cooked and cracked and all you have to do is pull the pinchers apart, peel back some of the thick, almost ceramic-like shell and have at it.

These are not dip-in-butter, dripping-down-your-chin type crabs. You want the thick, sweet meat dipped in honey mustard, just as the infamous Joe’s Stone Crab in Miami serves.

Now that the season has passed us by, prepare yourself for the next year. Plan your strategy now and make your reservations to get to Florida for the coming Stone Crab season so you don’t miss out.

In the meantime, know that on average, crab meat is low in calories and points; just 2 points for 3 ounces and while these crabs are full of meat and flavor, it takes a lot of claws to reap the rewards of 4 ounces of crab meat.

Serve your crabs with a honey mustard sauce.

Honey Mustard Sauce

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Recipe Type: Condiment

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 5 mins

Total time: 10 mins

Serves: 16

This sweet and tangy honey mustard sauce pairs well with shellfish.

Ingredients

1 Cup Mayonnaise

1/4 Cup Mustard

1 Tablespoon Cider Vinegar

1/4 Cup Honey

1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

Instructions

Put all ingredients in a blender or food processor and mix until thoroughly blended.